Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to cannonball for joy over the superb swimming classes we've enjoyed and…read morecontinue to enjoy with our now-2.5 year old son. Yanita is the swimming teacher to beat all swimming teachers. We're super lucky to have her. The office is organized. Their "make-up" policy regarding missed days is outstanding (you get to make up days if your child is sick - no questions asked). Their class curriculum and lay-out is excellent. The teachers know just when to step in and take over with those littles who excel withOUT mom or dad but excel when listening to another adult. They use swim belts for all of the children over a certain age, which has made me feel safer and has really furthered my son's swimming skills rapidly while helping to build confidence. Their pricing is the best around and I am so happy we found them. We've had three different instructors now and love them all. Unlike another school that shall not be named, I have also been warmly welcome as a non-native Finnish speaker. The teachers speak English and will totally take time to explain the situation in English. Summer intensive swim camp was out of this world great, too. I can't say enough nice things about them. Just go there. It's a bit of a trek to Munkkiniemi but only about 15 minutes by any bus leaving Kamppi going in that direction. Bus and Tram 4 stop right in front and the building is beautiful. There's even a playground just inside the courtyard. Swim, snack, play. Half your day is taken care of for you and then they pass out on the way home. #momwin #swimwin #happykids!

Some may say this is a ghost town, I'm not very sure you could call it that way but this is…read morecertainly a very interesting experience. After a small hike you will find within the woods, abandoned houses that look almost intact. Some of them can be as old as the late 1800's but they are now part of this "ghost town" with chaos, old furniture and a lot of graffiti. Walk around, get into some houses and check the inside (be careful when going up the stairs). The view is stunning, from both the houses and the bay area. Perhaps if you live in Helsinki this can be the place to have a barbecue, it's quite interesting.

I love exploring nature reserves in urban environments and Kruunuvuori fits that bill perfectly…read more It's a forest area in East Helsinki which in the old days was used for the Helsinki population as a weekend retreat. In fact, you can still see various country houses, most of which are in a derelict state and it seems it will only take only one more winter storm for them to fold into pieces like a house built from cards. Nevertheless, Kruunuvuori, which translates as Crown Hill, is well worth a visit if you want to escape from the hectic city life and go for a stroll in the woods. The trails will lead you around in a circle and so you cannot really get lost and it all takes only 30-45 minutes to do one round. While you're walking, you will be able to enjoy nice views over Helsinki Bay and you will spot Helsinki Downtown somewhere in the distance. Now, how to get there: take the metro to "Herttoniemi" and from there catch the bus #88 and get off at the last stop. From there, I suggest you use the map of your smartphone to locate the entrance, which is marked by a barrier...beyond which is all fair game!